Understanding Adult ADHD
ADHD in adults often looks quite different from the hyperactive-child stereotype, which is a large part of why so many adults reach diagnosis later in life.
What ADHD Involves
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting attention regulation, impulse control and activity levels, present from childhood even when it wasn't recognised at the time. In adults, it commonly shows up as difficulty sustaining attention on tasks that aren't inherently interesting, restlessness that's more internal than physical, impulsivity in decisions or speech, and significant variability: periods of intense focus alongside periods of real difficulty starting anything at all.
Why It Looks Different in Different People
ADHD is not one uniform experience. Some adults are predominantly inattentive, with few obvious hyperactive traits, which is part of why it's frequently missed or misread as anxiety, low mood, or "just being disorganised." Others have more visible impulsivity and restlessness. Most people fall somewhere in between, and the picture can shift with context: a demanding job, parenthood, or a major life transition often exposes difficulties that were previously being managed, sometimes at real personal cost.
Common Associated Difficulties
Beyond the core diagnostic features, many adults with ADHD also experience difficulties with emotional regulation, low self-esteem built up over years of feeling behind or "not enough," anxiety, and burnout from the ongoing effort of compensating. These aren't separate conditions bolted on: they're frequently part of how ADHD actually plays out in adult life, which is why psychological support that only addresses attention misses a lot of the real picture.
Getting a Diagnosis
This practice does not provide ADHD diagnostic assessment. If you think you may have ADHD and want a formal diagnosis, your GP is usually the starting point for referral to an appropriate specialist assessment service, whether through the NHS or privately.
Support Beyond Diagnosis
Diagnosed or not, many adults benefit from psychological support with the difficulties ADHD brings, which is what ADHD-aware therapy is for.